Boat Trip
by Missy Merla
Summary: The guys take a trip on Quatre's new boat. During the night they're hit with a violent storm, stranding them on an unknown island far from civilization. How will they survive?
1. Planning

Boat Trip - Chapter One  
  
Summary - The guys take a trip on Quatre's new boat. During the night they're hit with a violent storm, stranding them on an unknown island far from civilization. How will they survive?  
  
Warnings: Violence in later chapters. That's about it.  
  
Authors Note: I've been tossing this idea around in my head for quite a while, and now finally got around to writing it. It could be a while before I update, but then again, I could update really soon. I write when I have time, but extra encouragement will help me to move along! I'd really like some constructive criticism too, it helps me to be a better writer.  
  
Well, on with the story.  
  
*~Chapter One~*  
  
Quatre stood, watching as his work of art slowly cooked atop the Teflon surface. The blond didn't have to wait much longer before his instincts announced it was thoroughly cooked. Reaching over, he scooped the pancake up and set it neatly atop a pile of others. Gently picking up the plate of food, and with his free hand, reached over shutting off the oven. He walked smiling over to the table, setting the plateful of food down beside two others. One of scrambled eggs, the other of hash browns and bacon. Breathing in, Quatre savored the smell of his wonderfully made meal. He was hungry.  
  
"Come eat!" He shouted, taking his place at the table.  
  
After only a moment, Wufei sauntered coolly into the room, his half closed eyes gleaming with anticipation. He sat across Quatre, and, remembering his manners, waited patently for the others. Staring hungrily at the meal laid before him.  
  
Quatre smiled, "Here Wufei," he said, placing a pancake onto Wufei's plate, "You know how they are, you don't have to wait."  
  
Wufei beamed. He reached over and piled his plate full of all the choice foods. Picking the best and warmest pancakes, the best pieces of bacon... it wasn't his fault the others were late.  
  
"Mornin all." Duo stated while entering the room. His smile fading upon notice of Wufei. Glaring slightly, he frowned at Wufei's disregard, who was paying complete attention to the meal set before him.  
  
"Did you know that all the hot water is gone?" Duo prodded while taking a seat next to Quatre.  
  
"Yes." Replied Wufei, as he squeezed the remaining drops of water from his hair.  
  
Duo merely raised an eyebrow, then turned his attention to Quatre, "This place is really nice, except for the fact that there's only one bathroom."  
  
"You sound like a woman, Maxwell."  
  
Duo chuckled, "Sorry, Chang."  
  
"Well, actually," Quatre began, changing the subject, "I was thinking we could finish up our vacation on my new boat."  
  
"Boat?" Trowa asked, taking a seat next to Quatre.  
  
Quatre nodded, "I got it from my family for my birthday."  
  
Trowa gave a meager smile, "It's your birthday?"  
  
"Hey, how come we never heard about this?" Duo asked teasingly.  
  
Quatre blushed at the sudden attention, "I didn't think about it." He smiled.  
  
"And it's today?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How old will you be?" Trowa asked, taking a bite of egg.  
  
"Sixteen." Quatre smiled.  
  
"Ohh, sweet sixteen." Duo said, a far off look in his eyes. "I remember when I turned sixteen..."  
  
"When?" Quatre asked, finally dishing something onto his plate.  
  
"Oh, a couple months ago." Duo smiled, a look of mischief in his eyes, "Hilde and I celebrated that night by T.P.ing Relena's house."  
  
Quatre looked a bit surprised, "Why Relena?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because she has a big house? It was Hilde's idea." Duo smiled, "Speaking of birthday's, when do you turn sixteen Trowa?"  
  
"I'm already sixteen."  
  
"Oh? When did that happen?"  
  
"About three months ago." He stated, taking a bite of pancake.  
  
"Ok, so your older than me and Q, what about you Wufei?"  
  
Wufei glanced at Duo and then back to his food, "I'll be sixteen next month."  
  
"We're older than you? Wow, there's some new information." Duo teased, "How old do you think Heero is?"  
  
"I'm sixteen." Heero stated as he entered the room.  
  
"When."  
  
Taking a seat far at the end of the table, Heero pondered the question a moment, "A month ago." He stated and then began filling his plate.  
  
"I'm older than you?" Duo exclaimed, "Now that's weird."  
  
"Why, because I'm so much more mature than you?" Heero smirked.  
  
"Uhh... heh."  
  
"You walked right into that one Maxwell."  
  
"Ok, back on subject," Quatre interrupted, "What do you guys think of going on a boat trip for the next couple of days?"  
  
Heero looked interested. "Boat trip?"  
  
"He got a boat for his birthday."  
  
Quatre smiled.  
  
"Sure. Why not." Heero said, and went back to his meal.  
  
"Count me in."  
  
"Why not."  
  
"How about we leave today, after launch." Quatre asked.  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
* * *  
  
After a filling breakfast each boy went to his room to pack. Heero made sure to bring his gun and Duo decided to bring a movie. They were all looking forward to the trip.  
  
Heero waited patently in the living room, his one small bag of luggage tossed callously on the floor beside him.  
  
Duo came bounding down the stairs in a fit of excitement. Making a bee line to Heero, "We're going on a boat trip!" he smiled, "This is going to be so much fun!"  
  
"What's taking the others so long?" Heero asked apathetically.  
  
Duo gave Heero a questioning look, "Don't tell me you're not even a little excited."  
  
Heero sighed, he had to admit, he was looking forward to the trip. He had never been on a real boat trip; he'd barely even been on a boat. Anything during the war didn't count. That was business, this is relaxation. It sounded like, dare he say, fun.  
  
"Well..." Duo started, while plopping down onto the couch, "Hmm, you're here and I'm here..." He smiled at Heero's sudden frown, and continued, "Trowa's in the basement getting out some old fishing rods, he said something about wanting to fish. Quatre's in the kitchen packing food and I think Wufei is in his room."  
  
"Hn."  
  
Duo smiled, "This is going to be fun Heero, think of it as an adventure."  
  
"I've had enough adventures, Duo."  
  
* * *  
  
Well, thats it for now. Remember to review! I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can. 


	2. August gale

Boat Trip - Chapter Two  
  
Summary - The guys take a trip on Quatre's new boat. During the night they're hit with a violent storm, stranding them on an unknown island far from civilization. How will they survive?  
  
Warning - Violence in later chapters.  
  
Authors notes - Thank you all who reviewed! You reviews motivated me to continue with the story, as you've noticed. I hope you all like this next chapter. It isn't yaoi, for those of you who asked for it. There are too many stories on this site where the guys are gay, and they aren't even in the show! I consider it 'our of character' for them to be so. But thats not going to keep you from reading it is it? I hope not. The fact that it's not yaoi is going to cause a bit of trouble for our boys in later chapters. *wink* Well, on with the story!  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Sitting in a small lawn chair, legs propped high upon the railing, Trowa waited in silent irritation.  
  
The sun was low in the sky and he had been waiting since launch for a catch, yet here he was, still waiting. He tried, but failed at an attempt to block out the sounds behind him. The stupid fish must have something against him, due to the fact that Duo had just caught his third fish, and was absolutely ecstatic about it. Cheering and yelling, waving the ten inch slab of dieing meat high above him, as if it were some kind of trophy. Trowa frowned, this was getting ridiculous. He can pilot a gundam, destroy hundreds of mobile dolls in just a few minutes, go under cover and enter an OZ base without getting caught, and walk a tightrope like he'd lived there his entire life. But can't even catch a single fish.  
  
Yet, here Duo, who was captured by OZ, almost cries after getting a paper cut, and couldn't walk a tightrope if his life depended on it, can catch three fish is just a few hours. This was just absolutely ridiculous; he might as well give up and save himself the grief.  
  
Suddenly, he felt a strong tug with something obviously trying to free itself from his line. He stood from his chair, reeling in the thin clear fishing line, praying hard for a fish on the other end.  
  
His excitement grew, and after a moment, he was sure he had it. But just before his catch broke the surface, he felt a very sudden and distinctive 'pop' and the line suddenly seemed lighter...  
  
'No...' he thought, as he watched the empty hook rise from the water.  
  
It got away.  
  
After a moment of staring at the empty hook, he snorted in annoyance, reeling in the remainder of the line. This just wasn't his day.  
  
"Did you get anything, Trowa?" Quatre asked, taking a seat next to Trowa's empty one.  
  
"No." He replied, annoyance clear in his voice  
  
Quatre frowned in sympathy, "I'm sorry..."  
  
Trowa nodded, set the fishing rod onto the ground and headed for the kitchen. He was hungry, and would have liked to have some fish, -eating some of Duo's fish was not and option. Something else could satisfy his starving form just as well as fish, and he intended on proving that.  
  
*  
  
After scouring the very small kitchen, he finally settled on making something. Emerging from the cabin with a plate of sandwiches and chips, he began searching for a place to enjoy his meal. He wasn't in the mood to talk, so ended up taking a seat next to Heero, who at the time was busy sewing up a small rip in his new pair of jeans.  
  
Heero glanced up at Trowa then back down at his jeans. He stitched the final stitch, being careful not to stab his leg in the process. Tying it off, and returning the needle and thread back to the little case that he kept in his pocket, for occasions just as this.  
  
He glanced over, just as Trowa was biting into the delicious looking sandwich. Suddenly realizing how hungry he was.  
  
He stood rather quickly, heading straight for the kitchen. Upon entry he was hit with the smell of cooking fish. He noticed Duo, standing near the stove, busy cooking his freshly caught fish.  
  
"Hey bud, you want some fish?" Duo smiled, "'cause I can't eat this all myself."  
  
"Hn." Heero closed his eyes; taking in the fresh sent that filled the room. Setting himself down at the table across the cramped room.  
  
"Okie dokey then." Duo pulled out two plates, dividing the simmering fish onto each. He walked over to the small, two-seated table, setting Heero's plate in front of him and his own in front of his place. Duo's smile widened as he took the seat across from Heero.  
  
"Mmmm, smells goo-" Duo paused, "Whops, Forks!" Standing up and retrieving a pair of forks for the two of them.  
  
"I brought a movie." He said while reclaiming his seat.  
  
"Hn." Heero took a bite of the steaming fish. Then realizing that it was his turn to speak, went on, "What movie..." He asked, boredom clear in his voice. He had never really liked movies.  
  
Duo smirked, "It's called 'Jaws'"  
  
Taking another bite, Heero's interest grew, "Isn't that a really old movie?"  
  
"Yeah," Duo replied passively, "I heard it was good though."  
  
"But it's old. Really old."  
  
"So? It's still good."  
  
"Have you seen it?" Heero prodded, hiding his teasing intent with a frown.  
  
"No..." Duo frowned, "Will you watch it with me anyway?"  
  
Heero thought for a moment, what else was there to do? Sleep. But, the movie did sound a bit interesting, and Duo wanted him to watch it. He did usually try to give Duo what he wanted, so, why not...  
  
"Yeah." he finally replied, and was rewarded with a smile of glee.  
  
*  
  
At about 10:30 the movie ended. Duo had persuaded all of the boys to take part. Although Quatre was reluctant, he agreed.  
  
The teens were now all tired, and heading for bed. The movie hadn't turned out exactly as planned. They ended up laughing at every part someone was eaten, pointing out, bashing and mocking all the horrible effects... Quatre even joined in when one of the less liked characters were killed. By the end of the movie they were exhausted from laughter and couldn't wait to get to bed.  
  
They entered the small room, Heero immediately climbing up and lying down on the bunk of his choice.  
  
"Wait a minute..." Duo paused, "There're only four beds."  
  
"Oh... I forgot about that..." Quatre frowned.  
  
"Who gets the beds then?"  
  
"Quatre." Trowa said, more like an order than a request.  
  
"Why him?"  
  
"It's his boat." Trowa crossed his arms, a look of authority in his eyes.  
  
Wufei nodded, "I agree."  
  
Trowa reached out; a minuscule smile gracing his features, and gently pushed Quatre's reluctant form over to the bunk, "Go on Quatre."  
  
"Are you guys sure?" He looked back, frowning. Seeing as they weren't planning on replying, he climbed reluctantly onto the bunk above Heero's.  
  
"Ok, which of us has to sleep on the floor?"  
  
Trowa walked wordlessly over to the empty bunk, climbing nimbly up, and lying down.  
  
There was a moment of silence before Duo spoke, "Well..." He turned, looking expectantly at Wufei.  
  
Wufei smiled tauntingly, "Wanna fight me for it Maxwell?"  
  
Duo hesitated, "Uhh..." smiling timidly and rubbing the back of his head, "Heh heh..."  
  
Wufei smirked, "All right then..." climbing into the last bed.  
  
"You can have my bed Duo." Quatre said remorsefully.  
  
"No, no..." Duo forced a smile, "I'm fine on the floor."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah." He nodded assuringly, grabbing an extra blanket and pillow, and laying them down on the floor between the bunks. He walked quietly over to the wall, tuning out the lights and returning to his space on the floor. He laid down, making himself as comfortable as possible.  
  
After a moment, he found a suitable position and stilled himself in an attempt to fall to sleep.  
  
"Don't step on me in the middle of the night, you guys." He spoke into the darkness.  
  
"Don't worry Duo, we won't." Quatre replied in a quiet voice.  
  
Not being satisfied with just Quatre's answer, he went on, "All right guys?"  
  
"Go to sleep, Maxwell."  
  
Duo frowned, shifting around in the makeshift bed in a sad attempt to find a comfortable position, and to his surprise, he did. Maybe this night wouldn't be as long as he had thought.  
  
*  
  
Heero awoke with a start, sitting up quickly in alarm. What had caused him to wake up?  
  
He flinched as an extremely close lightning bolt struck, lighting up the entire room with it's blinding light. A crease formed between his brows, 'Well that solves it' he though, finally noticing the rough movement of the boat.  
  
He quickly jumped from his place atop the bunk, remembering Duo a moment later, and twisting awkwardly in the air in an attempt to avoid him.  
  
A small cry was heard from the darkness, "Ow..." Duo stated, rolling over and griping his arm in pain, "My arm..."  
  
"Hn." Heero had fallen, trying to avoid Duo, only succeeding in tripping and crashing hard into a wall. He rubbed the back of his head, in an attempt to ease the pain of the hard fall.  
  
"What's all the noise about?" Wufei's irritated voice rang through the darkness.  
  
Again there was a loud boom, and for a split second the room was filled with a flash of light. Heero blanched at the painful extent of the sound, "The weather." He replied in monotone, rubbing his head.  
  
"I thought Winner checked that."  
  
"We did..." Heero trailed off, "We should probably go out and check the boat. Trowa, are you awake?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Wake Quatre, tell him we're checking the boat," he said, walking towards the door, "Come on Duo."  
  
"Right!" Duo jumped from the floor, heading to the door beside Heero.  
  
They opened the door, and were immediately hit with a wall of wind and rain. "Look around and tell me if you see anything wrong with the boat." Heero yelled over the raging wind.  
  
"Right- O!" Duo yelled back, giving a slapdash salute. He walked slowly over to the front of the boat, being careful not to lose his footing. The boat was rocking hard, and Duo feared it would topple over, dumping all of them into the thrashing waters.  
  
Walking cautiously over to the head of the boat, he checked thoroughly for holes or anything else that could hinder their sailing.  
  
A sudden jerk of the boat almost sent him flying off the edge. A short squeak of surprise emitted from his lips as he grabbed onto the railing. He breathed a sigh of relief, and stood a moment, analyzing the situation. Again the boat was knocked, a small cry of surprise slipping through clenched teeth. He griped the railing tighter, gritting his teeth against the wind. This was too dangerous, he needed to get Heero and get back inside. Before one of them went overboard.  
  
He held the railing hard and began his quest back to the cabin. Duo sighed in relief, spotting Heero through the darkness. He quickened his pace, and almost slipped in the process.  
  
Suddenly, he felt as if he had been hit by a brick wall. He gasped in surprise, and his lungs were filled with water. His body immediately reacted, lurching and causing him to breath in even more of the salty liquid. He fought desperately to find the surface, flailing about, only causing himself to sink lower.  
  
Strong arms enveloped him, quickly pulling him to the surface. Instantly he began coughing and spluttering, filling his lungs with air. Oh sweet, wonderful air. He'd never take it for granted again.  
  
After a moment, he turned to face his savior.  
  
Heero.  
  
Barely even making eye contact, another wave smacked them down under the surface. Heero kept his hold on Duo, fighting with all his might to keep Duo's weak and oxygen deprived body above the water. After breaking the surface, Duo proceeded with his coughing fit. Heero also, lurched in a desperate attempt to rid his lungs of the unwanted liquid.  
  
He kept his hold on Duo for the worst of the storm, the braided boy slowly losing energy. Both were trying hard to keep the other above the surface, growing more and more exhausted by the moment. They knew this wouldn't last; they would drown before help came, and the boat was out of site. If the storm didn't end soon, they would both drown.  
  
_____  
  
Well, hope you liked it! Remember, constructive criticism is very welcome. Am I keeping the boys in-character? Tell me if you think I need to work on that. I'll hurry with the next chapter and get it posted as soon as possible!  
  
* 


	3. Onslaught

Boat Trip - Chapter Three

()

Summary - The guys take a trip on Quatre's new boat. During the night they're hit with a violent storm, stranding them on an unknown island far from civilization. How will they survive?

()

Warning - A little violence in this chapter, more in later chapters.

Authors notes - Thanks for the reviews! Thanks so much for liking my story. I'm sorry it took so long to post this, I've been a bit busy and haven't had the time to post it. It also took my beta reader a little longer than normal to go through and edit. Well, I hope you all enjoy it! Make sure you tell me if I'm making them OOC, it's very that they stay in character! VERY!

()()()()()()

Chapter Three

()()()()()()

Quatre faught hard to reach the surface, water sweeping quickly past him. A helpless feeling swept over him as he swam, he was going to die. 'No...' he prayed franticly, he didn't want to die. He couldn't. Forcing himself harder, he began moving slowly closer to his destination. He didn't want to give up, at least not yet.  
  
'Please...'  
  
Breaking the surface of the rough waters, he gasped for breath. Fighting hard to keep his head out of the water, his aquamarine eyes burning from the salty water . Another wave came by, smacking him down. Again, he began fighting for the surface. Every time he'd reach it, he would barley have enough time to fill his lungs before being smacked down again.  
  
After almost having a heart attack seeing Duo get knocked off the boat, Heero jumped in after him, sending Quatre in to a whirl of worry and panic. Immediately after, a huge wave came, knocking all of them into the sea - destroying his brand new boat, and his wonderful day. Thoughts of his friends' danger, and death; sweeping through his mind.  
  
Again Quatre broke the surface, but instead of breathing in a mouthful of air, he got a mouthful of water. Lurching, he sunk back down. Panic overwhelmed him, He was going to die out here; he just knew it. This wasn't happening, he kept telling himself. All the while fighting to keep himself from breathing in the salty water.  
  
He felt something grab his arm and he was ripped to the surface. Again he gasped for breath, coughing out all of the unwanted water. He floated there a moment, breathing hard and wondering who had saved him. Over the roaring waters, came a very quiet voice barley heard above the noise. Glancing over, he was met with familiar emerald eyes. A wave of relief swept over him, knowing that at least he wasn't alone. At least one of his friends was alive, At least, Trowa was with him... He gave a minuscule smile, letting it fade almost immediately. He pulled himself closer to the young pilot and he was quickly yet gently shoved away. Hearing a quiet mummer from his friend, barley heard above the noise,  
  
"Quatre, I can't hold you up..."  
  
He noticed a inconspicuous grimace of pain shoot across Trowa's features. Frowning, he gave a questioning look.  
  
Trowa ignored him, not wanting him to worry. At least not now...  
  
Holding fast, they waitied in silent agony for the storm to end. They were both becoming exhausted, knowing that they wouldn't last long. If the storm didn't end, they would die.  
  
After what seemed like hours, the storm was beginning to calm. They were now waiting in vein for help that would not come. Being stranded out in the middle of the ocean, with nothing but each other and a small hope that they would some how find something, anything, to escape this liquid prison.

()()()()()()()()()()

Floating aimlessly through the ocean, Duo and Heero were searching in vain for something to help them. The storm had finished its assault on them what seemed like hours before. Now they were trying hard to find... something. Duo had in mind a boat, knowing that the likelihood of that was next to nothing. Heero was hoping to find their boat; maybe it survived through the storm. He doubted it, there was a horrible feeling gnawing at the back of his mind. All was not well; he could feel it. And for some reason, he felt as if it were going to get worse.  
  
Something caught Duo's attention from the corner of his eye. Glancing over, he found it to be a drifting piece of wood. He swam over, catching Heero's attention in the process; and grasped desperately onto the floating object, his treading immediately becoming easier. Heero followed suit, grabbing hold next to Duo. Both now being aided by the small plank, their tired forms now gaining a long deserved rest.  
  
Thinking for a moment, he wondered where the wood could have come from. It must have come from the ship, he frowned, that would mean...  
  
"Heero... where do you think this wood came from?" He asked timidly, not quite wanting to know the answer.  
  
"I guess the boat was destroyed." was his response, his words short and quiet due to his exhaustion.  
  
"You think the others are alright?" Duo asked, worry clear in his voice.  
  
Heero only shrugged, too tired to talk. He was worried himself, but didn't betray his emotions to Duo. He didn't need to anyway, there was no point and it would only upset the american more. Heero let his mind wonder, wondering if they would even come out of this alive. They could die out here, that thought was very realistic and probably true. They hadn't told anyone about their trip, and nobody, once realizing that they were gone, would think to look way out here. They would probably be dead by then anyway.  
  
"Hey, what's that?" Duo asked, pointing off into the darkness.  
  
Heero perked up, looking in the direction Duo had pointed. Not seeing anything, he turned back to Duo with a look of curiosity.  
  
"Maybe it's one of the guys." Duo stated, answering to Heero's look  
  
Heero glared into the darkness, looking for what Duo had spoken of, "Maybe..." He glanced to Duo, then began kicking in the direction he had been pointing, "Let's find out."  
  
Duo joined in, and they began slowly moving to their destination.  
  
He soon noticed something moving through the water; it's slow smooth movement and the quick glimmer in the light of the moon, brought a sudden realization to him. This definitely wasn't one of the guys, in fact, it wasn't even human...  
  
"Duo." He stopped, glaring off into the darkness.  
  
Stopping his kick, Duo looked to Heero questioningly, "What? Do you see it?"  
  
"Yeah, but I don't think it's one of the guys..."  
  
"You don't..." He questioned, looking in the direction of Heero's glare.  
  
"I think it's a shark." Came a quick and inane response.  
  
There was a slight pause, "What?!" He yelled, a look of horror in his eyes, "A shark? Don't those things eat people?" Duo squeaked, and began kicking away, " I am not getting eaten by a shark! No way!"  
  
"Duo stop it, calm down." Heero frowned, glancing back in the direction of the shark. He scanned the area, then turned back to Duo, "It's not there anymore, Duo."  
  
Duo paused, glancing out over the restless waters, "So what if you can't see it anymore, it could still be there! It could be under the water."  
  
"My point exactly, your movement must've alerted it of our presence ."  
  
"Is that good or bad? Maybe we scared it away."  
  
"Maybe..." Heero gazed into the distance, "Just stop moving."  
  
Duo nodded, gulping down a lump in his throat. He glanced around, looking for any movement besides his own and Heero's. A feeling of alarm welling up inside him, he had never seen a shark. They didn't have those things back up at the colonies, the only time he had ever seen one was on TV and in pictures. He had definitely learned enough about them to know what they could do.  
  
Heero also began scouring the area, hoping that their movement hadn't attracted the shark, but done the opposite and scared it away.  
  
A sudden jolt of pain shot up his leg, ripping his attention from his thoughts. He flinched, barley catching a breath before he was yanked under the water. He lashed out, his instincts telling him to fight. He kicked the carnivore hard in an attempt to get it to release it's hold and surprisingly, it did. He immediately swam the short distance to the surface; gasping for breath upon arrival. He felt Duo grasp his arm, helping him to stay up. Heero quickly grabbed the small plank, pain seering through his body.  
  
"Heero!" Duo exclaimed, his voice filled with alarm.  
  
Heero cringed, pain showing vividly in his features. Duo frowned in concern, not quite knowing what to say. His mind raced as he tried to sort his whirling thoughts, realization setting in.  
  
Glancing about in a frenzy, his eyes glimmered with apprehension and anxiety, he didn't quite know how to assess the situation, "Okay... uhhh." He sighed in an attempt to calm himself. "Did you bring your gun Heero? You brought your gun, right?"  
  
Heero gave a curt nod, "Yeah. I think so." He reached back for his weapon, and at almost the same time, Duo was yanked under the water.  
  
Heero gasped, "Duo..." Ripping out his gun, he quickly switched off the safety and aimed; ready to shoot. Just before pulling the trigger, he hesitated. There was a chance he could hit Duo. If he killed him, he would never forgive himself for the short amount of time he may live. And if he did somehow come out of this alive, there were a lot of people back home who wouldn't forgive him either.  
  
But if he let him die here, when he knew there was a chance he could have saved him. Again, he would never forgive himself. There were only two choices; one assured death, the other gave a chance at life. It was risky, but he had to take the chance. This was the only choice.  
  
He pulled the trigger, an inconceivable 'click' just before an ear- shattering boom, echoing loudly over the ocean waters.  
  
And then silence.  
  
Heero frowned, his gun still aimed down into the water, a tremor ran through his body, emotion only showing through his glimmering eyes. He loosened his grip, his body tense and rigid, shaking hard with anger...fear. "Duo..."  
  
The sound of moving water and coughing, grasped his attention. He turned, quickly swimming in the direction of the noise.  
  
Upon arrival, he found Duo, struggling to stay afloat. He quickly swam over, grabbing Duo's arm and pulling him up out of the water. Duo immediately released a cry of pain, gripping the arm Heero was holding. The Japanese pilot glanced down, now noticing in the moonlight the crimson liquid running over his hand and into the water. "Duo..." Heero released his grip, gingerly grasping Duo's uninjured arm, "Did I... did I hit you?"  
  
Duo merely nodded, gritting his teeth against the pain.  
  
Heero frowned, irritation clear in his eyes. Irritation at himself and the thought that he could have done better, he shouldn't have hit Duo. But, maybe it was the only way, why else did the shark let go. It seemed like it was planning on eating him, so, it must've been hit too. Why else would it free Duo? Heero flinched at a sudden realization of how bad his leg hurt. He had forgotton of his own pain in all the excitement, and now his body was reminding him of it. He glanced at Duo, "How's you leg..."  
  
Duo clamped his eyes shut, gritting his teeth in pain, "I can't feel it...actually."  
  
Heero hesitated, "Is it... still there?" glancing down through the water.  
  
"Yeah, I think so."  
  
Heero look through the water; the light of the moon aiding his vision. The water seemed a bit clouded, most likely blood. He found that both of Duo's legs were intact and sighed in relief.  
  
"Well, we can't just stay here..." He glanced around for something... anything. They couldn't just stay out here; Duo would die.  
  
He began kicking in a random direction, immediately stopping due to a sharp pain shooting through his leg. Wincing, he gave a quiet grunt of pain, halting his movement. He glanced to his companion, "Can you kick?"  
  
Duo glanced up, giving a strained smile, "I can't even feel my leg."  
  
Heero nodded once, "Then I guess... we'll have to let the tide take us somewhere..."

()()()()()()()()()()()()

I hope you enjoyed it and remember to review! I'll have the next chapter out as soon as I can. Thank you for being so patent for me to post this.


	4. New Surroundings

Boat Trip - Chapter Four  
  
Summary - The guys take a trip on Quatre's new boat. During the night they're hit with a violent storm, stranding them on an unknown island far from civilization. How will they survive?  
  
Warning - Volence in later chapters.  
  
Authors notes - Sorry about the long wait. I've been really busy with work and stuff and haven't been able to write very much. I've had this written up and ready to post for about a week and just now got time to post it. The next chapter might take just as long, but I'll try to hurry it along. I have a lot of it written up already.  
  
Chapter Four  
  
The sensation of cool fresh water rushing past his body was the first thing he felt while coming to. It creped its way up past his legs, barely brushing his face before pulling away. His cheek pressed gently against the soft gritty earth and the salty taste of the sea lingered in his mouth. A slight tremor ran though him as another wave washed over his body. Pulling his hand up to his side, he gently pushed himself from the ground. Regretting it immediately when a wave of pain and dizziness washed over him. His head pounding like he had been run over by a semi.  
  
He turned, gently setting himself down upon the damp sand, and began rubbing his head in a useless attempt to rid himself of the sudden and painful headache.  
  
After a moment of sitting in pain, the bombardment subsided, leaving behind a dull irritation. The Chinese boy sighed, glancing around a bit, then looking out over the ocean. Finally realizing that he was on an island.  
  
He sat in thought, a blank expression on his face. Why was he on an island? How did he get here...  
  
Wait. He remembered.  
  
The movie, the storm, the boat... memories of the night before came flooding back to him.  
  
Worries about the others came to mind, the thought sinking low in his stomach. What if they didn't make it? What if he was the only one alive and the rest of them died during the night? His lip gave a slight quiver of irritation and he ripped himself quickly off the ground. Why did he care anyway? He didn't need them; he didn't need any of them. He could survive easily without them; they were only obstacles in his path. But no matter how much he told himself that, he couldn't fight the sick feeling deep in the pit of his stomach, the thought that maybe they were gone. Forever.  
  
Glancing up at the sky, he decided to distract himself. The sun was close to the horizon and it looked to be around 6:00, or sometime around there. He hadn't used the sun to tell time in way too long.  
  
He scanned the area, his deep ebony eyes taking in every detail. There were just a few yards of sand that reached around the island as far as he could see, up the beach past the sand was a thick jungle, that stretched on for quite a long way.  
  
Maybe he should look around for some people, he didn't plan on staying by the beach all day. Most likely there were people here, there weren't very many unpopulated islands now days. The chances of finding someone were big, and just the thought of being stuck here alone upset him.  
  
Quickly he shook off his feeling of bleakness and tromped roughly into the jungle, keeping himself alert and aware for danger.  
  
He was planning on looking around a little, then heading back to shore. He didn't want to get lost, and the possibility that the others were alive still lingered. He should stay by shore just incase.  
  
After about a five-minute walk, he came across a small clearing in the midst of the thick jungle. He stopped by the edge, the trees still keeping him out of sight and scanned the area. He quickly spotted a young boar across the glade, sniffing around and tearing up the earth.  
  
Wufei quickly crouched down, a sudden and slight feeling of excitement welling up inside him. He might as well have a little fun, and he might get hungry later anyway.  
  
Slowly Wufei began creeping toward the unsuspecting animal, using light steps with large strides. He reached down and picked up a long stick, quickly he broke it; leaving a sharp, splintered end. Quickly he glanced to the boar, hoping that his sudden and thoughtless move hadn't scared it off.  
  
Finding that it hadn't, he continued his hunt. Sneaking up about three feet from the boar, he readied to throw.  
  
Just before he could make a move, the boar glanced up and spotted the young teen, immediately dashing off into the jungle.  
  
Wufei sighed, relaxing and stepping out into the clearing; watching as the boar disappeared into the jungle. His eyes shimmered with only slight annoyance, there wasn't much of a loss. He wasn't even hungry. He could always have another chance, later.  
  
He loosened his grip on the splintered branch, letting it drop hard upon the earth, and began his brisk walk back to shore.  
  
Finally making it back, he made a decision to stay close to shore. The other guys could have washed onto the beach like him, he should stay close by in case he runs across them.  
  
After walking along shore for about an hour, he decided to take a break and headed into the jungle for a drink. He was really thirsty and was hoping to find some fresh water.  
  
Luckily he only had to walk for a couple minutes before coming across a small stream. The sound of the moving water gave him a feeling of peace, and the area was beautiful. The stream ran from deep in the jungle and made it's way around a lush assortment of plants. Only a little further up were a group of rocks, making a slipshod bridge across the creek.  
  
Before kneeling down, he gave a glace around the area for danger. Finding nothing threatening, he knelt down by the gurgling stream, an unintentional sigh emitting from his lips as he brought his hands into the crisp clear water. Again he glanced around, his sound could have brought potential threats aware of his presence.  
  
'Quit being so paranoid.' he thought to himself, his eyebrows lowering in annoyance.  
  
Sweeping his fingers through the crystal liquid, he bent over slightly while bringing his hands up and taking a small sip. He savored the moment as the cool, fresh water rushed down his throat and then dank his fill.  
  
It was strange how wonderful this water was to him, when only a while ago it tried to kill him. That just shows how too much of a good thing can be bad.  
  
He slowly stood; feeling rested and sniffed the fresh air. He savored the moment, relaxing himself and then began his short walk back to shore.  
  
The sun was now high in the sky and it was beginning to get hot. Wufei stayed in the shade of the trees, not wanting to be fried in the sun.  
  
After walking for quite a while, he saw what looked like Quatre a head. The young Arabian was sitting in the shade of a palm tree, his demeanor rigid and tense. Wufei could sense his uneasiness from where he stood.  
  
The pilot hesitated before stepping out, a feeling of suspicion coming over him. He never really trusted the young pilot after the whole Wing Zero incident. Well, he didn't quite trust him before that, or the rest of the pilots. He considered Heero to be the most stable of all of them, that is, until he fell head over heels for that stupid girl. Quatre was, in his opinion a little nutty and could never be fully trusted. He was just an unstable bomb of emotion, always on the verge of disaster.  
  
He pushed himself to step out, knowing that even if the blond did try anything, he could easily take him down. So there really wasn't much to worry about.  
  
Before reaching him, Wufei noticed Trowa lying down at his side. The emerald-eyed boy looked to be unconscious, or maybe he was just sleeping...  
  
Quatre glanced over, noticing movement on the corner of his eye. When he saw Wufei, his face lit up with excitement.  
  
"Wufei!" Quatre almost yelled, he started to stand, but Wufei took a seat next to him before he could. The young pilot refrained from hugging his compaion, knowing that it would only irritate him. He sat smiling at the young asain, trying to calm himself and thinking of something to say.  
  
"How far from here were you?" He finally asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement.  
  
"A couple hours walk..." Wufei answered, his attention on the young pilot lying on the ground. He glanced to Quatre, giving him a questioning look. Quatre frowned and looked away. Wufei glared slightly, annoyance showing in his eyes, "What's with him?"  
  
"He's unconcious." Quatre answerd, figiting with his shirt, "He's been that way since, before we even got on the island..."  
  
"Why?." Wufei asked, a bit of irritation in his voice.  
  
He hesitated a moment, thinking of how to continue, "He's been having trouble breathing, I think he was injured when the boat crashed, and I guess all the swimming was just to tiring for him..." Quatre glanced at the unconcious pilot, worry clear in his features, "I've been keeping an eye on him, I think he's going to be fine. He's just really tired."  
  
Wufei nodded, shifting his body into a more confortable position.  
  
"Have you seen Heero or Duo?" Quatre asked hopefully.  
  
Wufei shook his head remorsefully, wishing that he had.  
  
Quatre gave a curt nod, facing towards the ocean, fishing his mind for something else to say. His eyes glittering with emotion, worry for the others showing clearly on his face.  
  
"Are you thirsty?" Wufei asked. Knowing Quatre, he probably hadn't left Trowas side since they got on the beach.  
  
Quatre hesitated, meeting Wufei's hard gaze, his eyes filled with surprise and happiness. His considerate question must have ment a lot to the young araibian, or maybe he was just happy that Wufei had thought about someone else for a change.  
  
Their gaze only lasted a moment before Quatre turrned away with a nod, "Well now that I think about it..." He looked down at his hand as he toyed with his damp shirt, then out to sea.  
  
Wufei nodded, "About an hours walk down the beach, there's some freash water. I can carry Trowa and we can head over there."  
  
"Alright," The blond nodded, "That sounds good..." he swallowed, the enthusium in his voice fadding.  
  
Wufei stood, and after a futile attempt to wake the unconcous pilot, he lifted him onto his shoulder and they headed off. 


	5. Stitches

* * *

Boat Trip – Chapter Five 

Summary - The guys take a trip on Quatre's new boat. During the night they're hit with a violent storm, stranding them on an unknown island far from civilization. How will they survive?

Warnings: Violence in this chapter and in later chapters.

Authors Note: Well, finally I got this up here! Sorry I made you all wait for so long, writers block is really annoying. Also, life does like to creep in and take up your time. This chapter isn't one of the best chapters, but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway. Again I apologise for the long wait. Here is chapter five…

* * *

Heero heaved himself up onto the sandy shore, a look of pain etched into his face. He grit his teeth as he pulled Duo's unconscious form up beside him, then plopped hard against the earth as his exhausted body gave out. He let out a quiet groan as he laid, gasping for breath.

His body was tired and weary, the long fight against the thrashing waves was enough to tire anybody; but then Duo passed out, leaving the injured Heero with the task of keeping himself and his companion from drowning. And just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, he was washed up on this beach.

How lucky was he.

Heero smiled to himself; Duo would have called it a miracle, and went on and on about how God saved them. It was a good thing the boy was unconscious, Heero thought. He wasn't in the mood to hear all that crap. God had absolutely nothing to do with it.

The young pilot groaned slightly as he pushed himself onto his back, cringing as he did so. He lay breathing hard, staring up at the night sky. Who'd have thought that such a harmless little boat trip could turn into such a disaster? Everything was just going so wrong and there was nothing he could do about it. This was just… stupid.

Heero sighed, watching as a meteor shot across the night sky, fading into the blackness. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and glared off over the dark sea; contemplating everything he could have done to prevent this.

Not going at all could have prevented it. He should have followed his gut and not allowed anyone -including himself- to waste time on such a fruitless outing. He had had a bad feeling about the trip the moment Quatre mentioned going, but ignored it and passed it off as his paranoia. But he had brought his gun, just incase. Good thing he did, or he and Duo would be dead right now.

A sudden twinge of pain ripped him from his thoughts. He glanced down at his bleeding leg, cringing slightly. Blood soaked through his jeans and into the wet sand beneath him. The shark hadn't done him much damage; he could probably survive without stitches. But Duo, on the other hand, was not so fortunate.

Quickly he glanced at his companion, recalling the situation at hand. He had taken on the responsibility of Duo's safety the moment he jumped after him; and intended on keeping it. Duo needed help, and fast.

Heero pulled himself up and leaned over to drag Duo further up the beach, until he was completely out of the water.

Quickly he assessed the situation, Duo was bleeding heavily from his left leg and right shoulder. The gunshot wound didn't look too bad; it had skimmed right across the top of his shoulder, leaving a large bleeding gash. Luckily there were no bullets to remove.

His leg on the other hand, was bleeding heavily and needed immediate attention. Both wounds desperately needed stitches. Heero sighed, and glanced down at his companion who was beginning to come to.

Duo gave a quiet groan and opened his eyes, just enough to see Heero looking down on him.

"Duo." Heero said, his voice hard and emotionless.

The American glanced up; meeting Heero's hard distant gaze and gave a quiet grunt of acknowledgment.

Heero frowned, searching through his mind for something he could do for his friend, but there was just nothing available for him to use. This was a beach, not a hospital. He had absolutely nothing to help his friend.

Suddenly he paused, quickly ripping open his side pocket and pulled out his new sewing kit. He sighed in relief, thanking Quatre for reminding him to bring it. This was perfect.

"Duo." He said again, his voice a little softer.

Dazed, Duo again opened his eyes and met Heero's gaze. "Am I going to die?" His voice cracked slightly.

"No Duo, you're not going to die..." Heero paused, "If I can stop the bleeding."

"How are you going to do that?" He asked, a bit of panic in his voice.

Without looking at him, Heero held up the sewing kit.

"What is that?"

"Just shut up and be quiet." Heero said as he set it back down and began to prepare it.

"What is it?"

Heero was silent, which scared Duo. He attempted to sit up but was quickly and harshly shoved back down. He voiced a quiet 'Ow' and laid in defeat.

"You're bleeding heavily, you need stitches."

Duo hesitated. Stitches? Why would he need stitches? What had happened anyway? Now that he thought about it, he couldn't really remember anything at all. He stared at the stars, noticing how blurry they were. He squinted but they only seemed to get dimmer, and he slowly became aware of how cold he was.

"Now be still" He heard the faint, clouded voice of Heero. Duo moaned slightly, and closed his eyes. Heero's voice again reached his ears, but it sounded far off and obscure. Slowly darkness came over him and dulled his senses, until finally consciousness slipped from his grasp.

* * *

Heero sat quietly in the shade of a tree, carefully cleaning his injured leg with a piece of his shirt he had torn off. He had finished stitching Duo about an hour ago and was now working on himself. He had only needed a few stitches and was now wrapping his leg with the scrap of cloth.

He paused and slowly glared over at Duo who was beginning to wake. The braided boy laid a few yards away under the shade of another tree. Heero had moved him there after he was finished, to protect him from the harsh sunlight.

It looked to be about midmorning, so Heero decided to take a look around. He wanted to figure out where they were, and maybe he'd find the other pilots. If they were still alive, that is.

He stood up slowly, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his leg. He glanced around the area, mentally marking off any distinct landmarks that would remind him of the area. After a moment, he slowly limped into the jungle, all the while keeping in mind how to get back to where Duo was.

After what seemed like hours of walking, his leg was begging to go numb from the pain.

'I'll take a rest in a minute.' He thought to himself.

The abrupt sound of rustling bushes caught his attention, alerting him immediately. He stood still and after only a second, a large boar dashed quickly past him, oblivious of his presence.

Heero stood and watched as it disappeared into the trees. He looked over in the opposite direction it had been running, and started off that way, curious of what had scared it.

Only a few minutes walk brought him to a small clearing.

Cautiously he stepped out and inspected the area; and having found nothing, he continued on through the forest.

Soon he came upon a small stream; the soft dulcet sound of rushing water relaxed him. He knelt down and rewarded himself with a quick drink, then spent a while washing the blood and dirt that stained his body. And as soon as he had arrived, he left and headed back to Duo.

'He'll probably be angry at me for leaving him.' He thought, slightly amused. Duo didn't like to be alone, ever. He would always seek out human contact. Heero on the other hand, was quite the opposite. He really didn't care weather or not he was with people. Or at least, that was what he liked to tell himself. He did enjoy Duo's company, he admitted. The fact that Duo sought him out puzzled him. No one had ever wanted to be around him. Most people he ran into seemed intimidated, or afraid of him.

But Duo seemed to actually _like_ him, if that were even possible.

* * *

Finally, Heero managed to find his way back to their 'camp'. Duo was sitting hunched over under a tree, and didn't seem to notice the Japanese boy's presence.

He walked a little closer, trying to see what the other pilot seemed so absorbed with, when suddenly the boy whirled around in surprise.

"Heero!" He said shocked, and after a moment of silence, his shock shifted to anger.

"Why the hell did you leave me?" He shrieked, "All alone and defenseless, you jerk! I'm injured; I can't even stand up. And some stupid animal almost ate me, damn it!" He pointed towards the jungle, as he glared daggers at his companion.

Heero allowed a slight curve to his lips, which looked somewhat like a smirk. He was right, Duo was angry.

Duo was fuming, and showed him by picking up a rock and throwing it in his direction as he muttered a few more curses. Heero stood his ground, and the rock missed its target by a mile. The American snorted in disgust and turned to face what he had been working on earlier.

"What are you doing?" Heero asked, slightly mockingly as he crossed his arms over his chest and approached his friend.

Duo paused, irritation clear in his voice, "What does it _look_ like I'm doing? I'm trying to start a damn fire."

Heero arched an eyebrow, the idea that they may be stuck on this island for quite a while just now occurring to him.

He knelt down beside his friend, "Duo, why don't you rest a little? I'll work on this." He gently shoved Duo to the side, and took the sticks he had been using, "Now, what's this about an animal almost eating you?"

"It was just some stupid pig." He stated as he crawled over and laid against a tree, "I'm tired, I'll tell you about it later…"

Heero nodded and began working on starting a fire. Knowing that their time on this island could be longer that he had thought.

* * *

Well, that's it for now. I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as I can! Remember to reveiw!

-Kinkosami


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